The Bearded Ones

What's the first thing a TV talkshow host does when he quits his night job? Toss his razor in the trash, apparently. It all started with Conan O'Brien, and the bearded look has moved to Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and, most spectacularly, David Letterman, whose whiskers mirror Charles Darwin, or if you're in the holiday spirit, Old St. Nick. Heck, even Jimmy Kimmel is sporting a beard now and he's still gainfully employed!


Why the fascination with facial hair? According to a research commissioned by Braun,  55% of men opt to restyle depending on the occasion. And with all of these talking heads looking for something new to do, what's better than letting themselves go a bit? Yet, according to Braun's findings, most women find their guys more attractive when they're hairless; considering the source, that's no surprise.


Despite the hipster beard trend remaining popular with men, 47% of women said they would like to kiss well-groomed stubble or a goatee beneath the mistletoe this year. Furthermore, 41% of American women admitted to having themselves in mind when buying their partner a shaver for Christmas to avoid any overly bristly encounters. Even guys admit that they have trouble with all that fuzz:

• 42% of men said getting bits of food stuck in their facial hair is their top inconvenience – and this is sure to increase with the seasonal overindulgence;

• 22% admitted that their beards freeze over in low temperatures (although 48% of men surveyed said that their beard kept them warm during the winter months); and

• 18% noted that their girlfriends have a bit too much fun saying how “Santa” they look during the holiday season.


The beard craze continues for Millennials and Generation Z and late night talkshow hosts, but we probably won't see Jay Leno with a beard anytime soon; there's not enough whiskers in the world to cover that chinny, chin, chin!